Rapid Mueller Matrix Holographic Microscopy Imaging for Polarization Sensitive Materials

Mueller-matrix polarimetry (MMP) is a powerful technique employed in various fields such as biomedical optics, material science, and remote sensing. However, existing MMP techniques typically require multiple exposures (12 or more), which compromises measurement efficiency and increases susceptibility to errors. In this study, a rapid Mueller-matrix holographic microscopy (RMHM) was proposed for extracting the complete 4×4 Mueller matrix (MM) of polarization-sensitive materials. Based on an off-axis digital holography interferometer, the geometric phase is determined to reconstruct the MM using the Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phase theory and a division algorithm. Our method retains the advantages of existing digital holography techniques, requiring only three acquisitions to capture the complete MM. The proposal is validated through the application of a rotating quarter-wave plate, followed by the measurement of polarization parameters including circular and linear retardance, depolarization, and the birefringent fast axis angle. The analysis covers various materials such as plant roots, potato starch granules, and pathological lung cancer tissues.